Category: Uncategorised

Posted on

H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Directed by Matthew Cooper – due for release on 1 December 2024 – free to view on YouTube…

Feature length micro budget horror film, free to view on my YouTube channel from 1st December. www.youtube.com/@matcoop
All SFX in this were created using AI tools Runway and LumaLab and others. AI was used in the edit, and sound post production also.
The film couldn’t have been completed to such a high standard without the use of AI tech.
Thanks to Tony Coughlan and Ashe Russell for doing the hard yards acting (the live action portion of the feature length film was shot in 4 days and 2 nights).
Filmed on location in Staithes and Whitby in North Yorkshire.
Based on the famous story ‘The Shadow Over Innsmouth’ by H.P Lovecraft who has a passionate fan base across the world and especially online.

Total budget under £2,000. The film is designed to generate engagement and subscribers to my YouTube channel, where we host three other Lovecraft based microbudget feature films which are generating 1000s of views per month, with excellent long form viewer retention figures.

We have more Lovecraft themed features currently gearing up to shoot and next year we’re making a slasher horror feature at Whitby Goth Festival, using the festival and it’s passionate fan base and backdrop as a key element of the film.

We’re self financed, but open to approaches from producers, broadcasters or distributors, but not dependent on them. I’m also personally open to (and currently very busy with) scriptwriting commissions or consultancy work.

Posted on

Sober – the comedy film shot in Leeds – about to arrive on your screens very soon.

In coming!

Sober (2024) is the new comedy film set in Leeds and starring Tom Gibbons (Funny Cow) and Dean Smith (Waterloo Road / Still Open all Hours).

We shot the film back in April 2023 in nine days and for the past 18 months it’s been in post-production as I worked around other script writer for hire and UK script consultant gigs

As of today at the end of July 2024 – the film is about to be locked visually and sent off to the composer.

The film is without doubt, the biggest achievement of my filmmaking and scriptwriter career – all the more because the total budget of the film was below £10,000 and the film is based on script originally written in 1998 at the very start of my filmmaking life.

The script has changed drastically over the years – but the original intention to create a laugh out loud comedy drama has been preserved.

The two lead actors – who co-wrote and co-produced the film have been instrumental in my finally realising this project as a feature film – and getting it over the line. And both the performances of the lead actors show a lot of courage and heart – and belief in the project, so much so that they helped co-finance it with me.

So, now begins the build up to how we get this film released and shown to the general public.

Keep watching this space.

Matthew Cooper has been a script writer for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.

His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ was released in 2020, his second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ hit the screen in 2021 and his third horror feature film (and final part of The Sekurig Trilogy) When The Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022) was released on Halloween 2022.

Matthew has recently directed ‘H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth’ which is currently in post-production. 

His latest feature film SOBER is near completion – a comedy starring Dean Smith (Last Tango in Halifax / Still Open All Hours) and Tom Gibbons (Funny Cow / The Archers) will be released in 2024.

You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.

Posted on

Sober – shooting now

This is just a quick update to say I’m currently shooting the comedy feature film Sober.

The shoot will end in mid-April – I’ll update regular readers about this project once we’ve completed with the shoot.

Thanks,

Mat

Posted on

When the Earth Gives up The Dead – coming soon…

I’m currently deep in post production on When the Earth Gives up the Dead (2022) – which will be out later this year… For now, he’s a few taster images from the film (which is the most amazing looking thing I’ve ever worked on)…

Keep checking back for more news…

Matthew Cooper has been a script writer for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.

His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ was released in 2020, his second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ hit the screen in 2021. You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here.You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb. Matthew is also a  judge in the Page Turner Awards 2022.

Posted on

When the Earth Gives up the Dead (2022) – last leg of the shoot commences and STOP MOTION starts in earnest

Shooting the Dead

When the Earth Gives up the Dead (2022) the last part of my low budget Lovecraft trilogy restarts shooting this weekend – with four days on location and two days in a green screen /chroma key studio.

The first portion of the film was shot late last year – with 30 minutes of footage post-produced and in the BAG already, so to speak.

I had to take a break from shooting over Christmas as I landed a huge scriptwriting assignment in my other job as a script writer for hire.  The scriptwriting work looks like it’s all signed off for now (it’s on a £10m fully funded feature to be shot in Ireland). I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the camera and working with the enthusiastic cast again over the coming weeks.

This film, will also feature some actually bona fide Stop Motion animation in a tribute to the late great Ray Harryhausen.

I’ll be hands on with stop motion myself and I’ve built a little scale-set up in my studio. That means post production on the film will be an extended process as we work literally hands-on to get the special effects right.

Keep checking back, in the coming weeks I’ll update the blog to let readers know how the shoot and SFX process is getting along.

Stop motion

Matthew Cooper has been a script writer for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.

His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ was released in 2020, his second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ hit the screen in 2021. You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here.

You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.

Posted on

Shooting now on When The Earth Gives Up The Dead…

When The Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022) the latest feature film from Matthew Cooper Director is currently shooting.

The film will be the third in a low budget horror trilogy based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft.

As you can see from the photos we’re having a BLOODY good time making this one.

As a director Matthew Cooper likes to run a efficient, creative and fun set, and these days we keep an eye on our carbon footprint when shooting too, and look to minimise pollution and waste too.

The film is due for release summer 2022 – keep checking back for more info…

Matthew Cooper has been a scriptwriter for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.

Matthew is also a director of feature films including the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ which was released in 2020. Matthew’s second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ was released in July 2021.

You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here and find his broadcast credits on the IMDb here.

Posted on

When the Earth Gives Up the Dead (2022)

This is just a quick update to let regular readers know that as of next week I’m in full production of my third feature film as a director. ‘When the Earth Gives Up the Dead’ which is being shot in Yorkshire and Lancashire and will be released in 2022.

This is the final film in the low budget ‘Lovecraft Trilogy’ and is once again being produced through Warehouse Transmedia.

The film will star Tony Coughlan and Ashe Russell and is based on The Dunwich Horror by author H.P. Lovecraft.

Keep checking back for more info.

Matthew Cooper has been a scriptwriter for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.

His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ was released in 2020, his second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ hit the screen in 2021. You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here.

Posted on

At The Mountains of Madness (2021) – Horror Feature film – Buy on DVD or VOD

‘At the Mountains of Madness’ is one of horror author H.P. Lovecraft’s most famous tales of terror. It was said to be one of the great un-filmable novels.  Well, not anymore…

In 2021 scriptwriter and director Matthew Cooper, released  his take on the tale of terror and madness.

Finally, somebody had managed to film ‘At The Mountains of Madness’

Watch ‘At The Mountains of Madness’ (2021)

You can watch the film now on VOD below or buy the DVD on the director’s website.

At The Mountains of Madness (2021) from Matthew Cooper on Vimeo.

Matthew Cooper has been a scriptwriter for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.

His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ was released in 2020, his second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ will be released in 2021. You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here.

You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.

Posted on

At The Mountains of Madness (2021)- trailer drop

Directed by Matthew Cooper – ‘At the Mountains of Madness’ will be released in July – here’s the first trailer drop.

Posted on

The cinematographers who influenced me…

The best cinematographers are German, or were Dutch and worked in the new German cinema of the 70s.

As a freelance film director for hire, I think I’ve been influenced by cinematographers almost as much as I have been influenced by directors.

Certainly two cameraman had a very big impact on my visual style – these guys both started their careers in the new German cinema of the 70s and 80s and both guys finished their careers working in or around Hollywood.

Both guys have passed on now, but their work is still celebrated.  They are Robby Muller and Michael Ballhause.

Muller, to me, had a style so cinematic it taught me to see – his German films with Wim Wenders are famous for their imagery. But later in his career, his work with directors like Alex Cox, William Freidkin and Jim Jarmusch showed he could fit into American films, and see America like no other cameraman.

Ballhause started his career with Fassbinder in Germany, working fast, on low budgets with strong visual ideas, but he ended his career in the USA, and added amazing cinematic style and imagery to the worlds of Martin Scorsese – certainly Ballhause’s work on Goodfellas, and The Color of Money showcase some of the most stylistic camerawork from that era in American films.  

When I took on the camera work in my own low budget film debut as director Markham , the work of Ballhause and Muller was always on my mind.

Below are two videos celebrating these maestros…

Matthew Cooper has been a script writer for hire, UK Script editor  and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer. His UK script coverage service, Script reading service and script development service are highly sought after.

You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.

His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller Markham was released in 2020. You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here.

You can contact Matthew directly to purchase his ebook The UK Soap Opera Script Writers Handbook.